Vegetables

Easy to Grow Vegetables

The taste of fresh vegetables handpicked from your own garden is a great experience.

When planning your vegetable patch, remember that most vegetables need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight and like well drained rich soil.

Before planting, you can improve the soil condition by digging in compost into the top 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches)

Carrots

Carrots prefer light, sandy soils and best grown in full sunlight. They will also tolerate light shade.  Sow carrot seeds as soon as ground can be easily dug. The best time is when you have an even moisture and soil temperature of around18-24° C (65-75° F) which is essential for good germination.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a warm season vegetable which likes lots of sun. Do not plant seeds until all danger from frost has gone and the soil has warmed. You need only a few plants to get quite few cucumbers and if planted in a small space they can be trained to grow vertically on a trellis or frame.

Runner beans

These are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and a single plant can produce many beans.  Do not plant until the danger of frost has passed and remember that they do not tolerate cooler temperatures well, especially if the soil is damp. Erect a simple wigwam type trellis using bamboo canes and plant one inch in from the base of each pole.

Lettuce

Lettuce of which there are many varieties are cool season crops that when planted in early spring or autumn give the best results. In order to get a regular supply stagger planting by estimating your likely need per week and plant by plant accordingly. Once the heat of the summer comes lettuce will start to set seed or bolt and become bitter.

Onions

Onions can be grown from seed, but because of the long growing cycle are better grown from bulblets or “sets.” They need well drained soil with plenty of compost or well rotted manure added. The green shoots can be used in salads few weeks after planting.

Radishes

Radishes are by far the easiest of all vegetables to grow. They are a cool-season crop best planted in early spring. They are quick to sprout and can be ready to harvest in only four to five weeks. It is often a good idea to plant them between other rows of vegetable which grow at a slower rate to mark the rows.

Tomatoes

There are many varieties suitable for planting or growing in containers. They love and need heat moisture and sunlight. If growing from seed in a greenhouse replant transplants in the garden when the soil warms up. A simple trellis or frame is all that is needed to support the growing plants.